Power Up!: A Different Story
by blueeyedbookie
Summary: Just a fan girl take on the Dino Thunder show. A girl & her friend relocate to Reefside only to be caught up in an adventure they weren't expecting. Please just read & review! Thanks! Conner/OC, Tommy/OC, & Trent/Kira eventually


Author's Note: Alright, everyone.... this is my VERY FIRST story on here, so NO BEING MEAN!!!! I wrote this with a friend a long time ago.... well just six years ago, but it feels longer.... Anyhow, my point is that it was just for fun & to please our own fangirliness, so I apologize if something is wrong or incorrect or you just plain don't like it. I just wanted to get this story typed up & thought it would be fun to post it on here! I do appreciate reviews & if you see something misspelled or used in a wrong way, let me know.... I really **don't** like bad grammar, but my fingers just type it sometimes anyhow!

Well, enough about all that. Please sit back, relax, & hopefully enjoy the show!

PS: I'm going to fudge for awhile because I lost the first part of the story that we wrote together :'( , so I hope it all comes together okay! If I miss anything or totally get out of whack later on, let me know!!! :)

**Chapter 1**

Carrie clambered off the back of Katie's motorcycle, took off her helmet, and passed it off to her friend without a second glance.

_ I really have to get my own car...._ Carrie thought as she glanced up at her new high school with a sigh. _A new town, a new school.... could my life get anymore fantastic? _She smirked as she peered up at the inviting white walls of Reefside High. Hoisting her backpack back onto her shoulder, she turned around to see Katie walk up beside her all dressed up in her black skirt & golden button down shirt and her jet black hair pulled back in a simple bun. Carrie hastily looked down at her own clothes: a plain pink t-shirt, her favorite ratty pair of jeans, & her converse sneakers. _I'm a student, I don't have to look all dressed up...._ She drew her fingers through her long blond, hair attempting to smooth it out.

"You're fine!" Katie laughed at her as they walked through the front door. "Now, we're to meet with Principal Randall for our tour and your schedule. Then, I'd like if you could help me set up in the Library. Please?" Katie stuck out her lower lip in a pout that made Carrie laugh.

"Yeah, yeah. You know I always help," Carrie replied as they made their way down a set of steps. "Besides, I know _Tommy's _coming in early to see you... so I won't have to stick around for long!" She chuckled as Katie stalked ahead of her and into the next room. She followed her in and found her talking to a woman with short dark hair and glasses nearly falling off the tip of her nose.

"Yes, it won't take me long to get set up in the library," Katie's sentence tapered off as Carrie approached the two women. "Principal Randall, I'd like to introduce my friend, Carrie Goodling. We were in the same class in school, but I graduated quite a few years before her. When she heard I was coming here to Reefside to be the new librarian, she all but demanded to come along. Carrie, this is Principal Randall." Carrie smiled and held out her hand. Glaring down her nose, Principal Randall grasped the tips of Carrie's fingers and shook lightly, letting go swiftly as if Carrie were somehow contagious.

"Follow me, Miss Knouse, Miss Goodling," Principal Randall sniffed as she walked out the door at a brisk pace. After walking past the millionth door, Carrie zoned out the droning voice of the Principal. Students began filing into the school. Many glances were cast their way.

"I wonder who the new girl is?" she heard a girl whisper to her friend as they passed the newbies in the hallway. Carrie blushed slightly, not overly excited about all the unwanted attention that was sure to come. Classroom after classroom passed by her line of vision as she barely registered the room numbers.

_Oh, yeah. Guess I should be paying attention to those, _she thought to herself. _Don't want to get __lost and be late. That would be super em_- "Oomph!" she cried as she ran into Katie's back.

"Pay attention, would you?" Katie whispered to her looking at her over top her glasses.

"Okay, okay," Carrie chuckled.

"THAT," Principal Randall interrupted pointing out of a pair of glass doors to an apparent hang out area swarming with kids, "is a waste of time. But the children seem to like it. That's the soccer field over to the right. We pride ourselves on our top notch soccer team, the Reefside Rays. I'd appreciate NO **distractions**." She glared at Carrie, making her squirm under the scrutiny. _What was that about?_ Carrie thought to herself as she spared a glance with Katie who was looking oddly at Principal Randall. _Something's weird...._ "Let us continue!" Principal Randall abruptly said, turning heel and walking quickly down the hall they had just come from. Katie looked back at Carrie, urging her to hurry up as she followed the odd woman at a snappy pace.

Carrie spared a few seconds to get her bearings and glanced out the window again. Her eyes alighted, first, on a girl wearing yellow sitting on top of a blue picnic table. _She's playing guitar. That's awesome. I'd love to sing with her sometime.... _Scanning over the crowds again, a blue spot caught her attention. Some guy was walking with a friend carrying his laptop and apparently discussing something important. _Probably way over my head...._ Taking in the soccer field of the Oh So Mighty Reefside Rays, a tall blur of red ran toward the nearest goal. With a flying volley, the ball whizzed past the goalie's outstretched hands and into the net. _Um... wow...._ A blush began to creep up her chest and into her cheeks as she continued to watch the mysterious, tall, dark, handsome, gorgeous--

"Carrie!" Katie hissed at her from the end of the hall. She spun around quickly. "Hurry up! You need your schedule!" Carrie took a few deep breaths and ran up to her friend. Katie looked at her curiously, "Why are you blushing? It's a guy, isn't it?" The small grin on her face widened as Carrie's blush deepened further.

"None of your business," she stoically said walking past Katie and into the Principal's office. By the time Katie got there, Carrie already had the schedule in her hand and was returning to the door. "I'll meet you in the library."

Upon entering the library, Carrie threw her backpack on a table and headed to a pile of boxes over by the librarian's office. Opening a box, she pulled out a particularly heavy pile of folders full of God only knows what and laid them on Katie's desk. She continued to empty the top box and kicked into organize mode. Within twenty minutes, she'd cleared three boxes of their contents. As she opened the fourth box, a pair of hands snaked over her eyes making her jump out of her skin.

"Guess who?" a masculine voice chimed in amusement. An impish grin spread across her face.

"A jerk who enjoys scaring helpless girls?"

"I'm offended!" the voice scoffed, but Carrie could hear the hint of his smile.

"Thomas Oliver, haven't I told you not to pick on those **weaker** than you?" Katie's voice rang out in the empty library. The hands covering Carrie's eyes removed themselves and she spun around to give Tommy Oliver a big hug.

"So how are you, Carrie?" He asked as he pulled back to look at her.

"I'm good! It's really good to see you, Tommy!" she smiled brightly at him. He looked the same as ever with his dark hair and and sparkling eyes. "You got glasses...." she giggled at him.

"Good to see you, too," he sighed in exasperation. "Katie told me you're in my homeroom. And you get me first period for Earth Science! Aren't you so lucky!" He laughed as Katie walked up beside the two. Carrie glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Yeah, and I guess I'd better head there and get situated. We'll see you later, **Dr. Oliver**," she laughed over her shoulder grabbing her backpack and heading out the door. Tommy & Katie waved good-bye to her as she left.

"So you say Principal Randall was acting all funny around her? More than usual?" Tommy asked as he looked Katie in the eye.

"Yes, but I can't figure out why...." Katie pondered while Tommy's hand snaked around her waist pulling her close. She sighed as Tommy placed a kiss on top of her head. "How are the dino gems coming along?"

"Good. But you know that means there is going to be a new team of rangers. And that always means an enemy is soon planning on appearing."

"No matter where we go, we're never fully safe, Tommy, I know."

"Well, come on. Let's get some of this stuff put away. I soon have to be in homeroom," Tommy coaxed after placing a feather-light kiss on Katie's lips.

Carrie slowed down as she reached room 25. Taking a deep breath, _Here goes nothing_, she walked into the room with her eyes glued to her feet. She chanced a glance up and saw an empty seat beside the girl who she saw playing guitar earlier. Plucking up the courage, she strolled over as casually as she could.

"Mind if I sit here?" she choked out in a small voice. The girl looked up at her as a hush spread around the classroom. Minutes, years passed.

"Sure!" the ray of sunshine said cheerfully. Carrie expelled the breath that she didn't know she was holding.

"Thanks," Carrie said sitting down and getting comfortable.

"I'm Kira Ford," the girl said with a little wave. "You're the new girl, huh?"

"That would be me," Carrie smiled. "I'm Carrie Goodling. I saw you playing out by the fountain. How long have you been playing?"

"Since I was 8. Do you play?" Kira asked conversationally.

"No, unfortunately. I do sing though."

"Oh cool, me too! We should get together sometime and hang out."

"That would be great," Carrie replied full of relief that she just made a new friend.

"How about today, after school? There's this really awesome cafe a few blocks away called Cyberspace. Hayley, the owner, is über cool. She lets me play on stage all the time. Oh, wait. Shoot I forgot I've got detention after school.... Stupid Principal Randall...."

"That's okay. Maybe some other time," Carrie smiled at her. "Um, can I ask why you're all wet?"

"Some **idiot**," she stressed jerking a thumb over to the boy in blue that just walked in the door, "decided it would be funny to set off the sprinklers on everyone. But anyhow, we'll definitely have to get together soon. So where are you from?" Kira asked beginning a game of 20 questions between the two girls. While they chattered Sprinkler Boy plopped down in the desk across from them.

"Stupid Principal Randall," he muttered while tapping furiously on his laptop. Carrie noticed the name ETHAN JAMES on the top of the computer. _Hmm. Must be his name. _Almost immediately after smart boy's little rant, Mr. Tall, Dark, Handsome, Gorgeous walked in soaking wet and surrounded by his soccer buddies. He left a trail of water as he walked between the rows of desks. Throwing his bag on the floor and sitting down at the desk behind the girls, he let his head fall to the desk with a loud THUNK.

"Conner, man, I can't believe you got detention! You know we need you at practice! States is coming up!" one of his buddies raved quietly at him.

"Don't remind me. Stupid Principal Randall," his voice came out muffled making Carrie want to giggle. _Keep yourself in check, girl! Don't need people to think you're weird this soon in the school year! _Amidst all this, Carrie could feel eyes watching her and heard the whispers of "new girl" passing through the class. Kira nudged Carrie with her elbow and gave her a smile.

"Hey, don't worry about them. You'll be old news by 8th period," Kira laughed. Carrie sighed and smiled back at her.

"Yeah. I hope so!" Carrie breathed. Just then, Tommy walked into the classroom as the bell rang.

"Good morning, everyone! Welcome to your junior year at Reefside. My name is Dr. Oliver. I look forward to getting to know all of you this year," Tommy smiled amiably at the students. He glanced over at Carrie, and she gave a big grin of encouragement.

The rest of homeroom passed in utter non-excitement. Carrie yawned as Tommy went through the necessary roll call. Finally the bell rang for first period and the usual clamor of kids getting up and heading out the door arose. Carrie was relieved to see Kira stay seated. She also noticed that Ethan and her soccer player as well as two others stayed seated as well.

Before any more students came into class, Tommy walked over to the desk the girls shared.

"Miss Ford, Mr. James, Mr. McKnight, I believe you three have detention with me this afternoon. I want you to meet me at the front of the school after last period. We're going on a little field trip!" Tommy smiled.

"So I'm going to miss all of practice...." Conner moaned. Carrie glanced back at him as he spoke and caught his eye. She blushed profusely and quickly turned back around.

"I'm afraid so, Conner," Tommy said passing out papers to each desk. _Ah, so that's his name.... _ Carrie thought with a small giddy feeling in the pit of her stomach. When he finished, Tommy came up to Carrie. "I'd like you to tag along this afternoon. I could use your help with some.... rocks...." He grinned at her. Carrie knew automatically that he was talking about the dino gems. When Katie had told her before they left that Tommy had found three dino gems, she was excited to find out who the new rangers would be.

"Sure, To--, I mean Dr. Oliver," Carrie replied with a knowing smile.

With that, class began, and before she knew it, the whole day had passed. She made a few new friends and thankfully had most of her classes with Kira. Heading toward the front of the school, she noticed Conner coming out of the classroom just beside her. Knowing she was too chicken to talk to him, she kept walking. _Is it getting super hot in here?_

"Hey!" someone called behind her. Before long the voice caught up with her, attached to a very good looking Conner. "Hey, you're Carrie, right?" he asked looking down at her as they walked.

"Um, yeah. You're Conner?" she asked knowing FULL well who he was. _Must be all dry_, she thought as she did a small look-over of the boy beside her.

"Yep, that'd be me! So, I heard you've got detention with Oliver, too?" he stated questioningly as her eyes flew back up to his face.

"Not detention. He just asked me to help with one of projects at the local museum. I knew him from back home; I used to help him out a lot."

"Oh. But you're coming with us?" he questioned giving her a breath-taking smile. _Breathe, Carrie, breathe...._

"Yeah. I am," she couldn't help but smile back.

"Cool," he replied as they reached the front of the school. They had somehow gotten to the front doors, _How did we get here?_, and Conner held one open for her. "Thanks," she blushed.

"No problem," he grinned at her as she brushed past him. _He's affecting me more than I'd care to admit_, she thought furiously. _I don't even know him yet!..... YET...._ She couldn't stop her own grin that spread, along with her ever present blush, rapidly over her face.

Tommy, Kira, and Ethan were already waiting for them. Kira looked from Conner to Carrie's red face and caught Carrie's eye with a very I'm-gonna-hear-all-about-this-whether-you-like-it-or-not! look.

"Later," Carrie whispered to her new friend.

"Okay, now that everyone's here, let's get going," Tommy said. "We'll be taking my jeep to the site." They all followed him over to his black Jeep and climbed in, the girls up front with Tommy and the guys taking the back seat.

Soon, they were speeding down the highway, the wind whipping at their hair. Carrie lifted her face into the wind and sighed. She could smell the salty air of the ocean. _Things aren't so bad after all.... _The jeep pulled into the large parking area of the museum. Everyone moved to get out as Tommy turned off the ignition and put the key in his pocket. They all walked up to the entrance way that was chained shut.

"That's funny, I thought they were open today," Tommy pondered out loud.

"Great! Now we can just go home!" Kira piped in hopefully.

"Nice try, but you guys can go check the grounds and forest around the museum," Tommy replied turning around to look at them. "Tell you what, if you can find something prehistoric, I'll cancel your detentions for the rest of the week."

"Yes!" Ethan hissed. "Now I won't have to miss Computer club!"

"Computer Club?" Conner mocked disdainfully. "They have clubs for that?"

"This coming from the dumb jock," Ethan said lightly.

"Watch it," Conner seethed coming face to face with Ethan. Kira scoffed and rolled her eyes at the fight for alpha male. Carrie decided to interrupt before things got too out of hand.

"Hey, c'mon, guys. You want to get **out** of detention, right? Not get more," she pleaded gently. Conner looked down to her pleading blue eyes. He stepped back from Ethan, his eyes softening.

"Alright, let's get this over with then," Conner declared leading the group off toward the forest.

"I'll meet up with you guys later. Carrie, you can tag along with them," Tommy stated as he headed toward the front of the building and glancing nervously up at the huge tyrannosaurus model standing guard.

Carrie began to hurry over to the group, but before she got too far a gleam caught her eye over by Tommy's jeep. Walking over, she bent down to find a pink rock. Warily reaching out her hand, she picked it up and clutched it in her palm. It began shining as she felt power run throughout her body.

"Oh my gosh," she muttered to herself, "it's a dino gem!" A positively full-out grin broke out on her face, "I'm gonna be a frickin' Power Ranger!"

"Carrie! You coming?" she heard Kira call to her. Carrie quickly stuffed the gem into her jean pocket and jogged over to the others.

"Of course I'm coming!" she wheezed to Kira after her small jog. The group made their way into the forest. Carrie was happy to note that Conner made sure he was always beside her. She was surprised that their conversation wasn't lacking. _He's really easy to talk to!_

"You know we should really be careful of sinkholes. I've heard this forest is full of them," Ethan said to the air. Conner stopped and regarded him with one eyebrow raised.

"And you know this how?" he asked with a sigh.

"It's on all the urban legend websites!" Ethan said in shocked exasperation. "Oh, that's right, your just the soccer player. You wouldn't know anything about computers."

"This soccer player could kick your a--"

"Guys! The sooner we find some old fossil or something, the sooner we can get out of here!" Kira fairly yelled. Having walked ahead of the group a ways, Carrie turned around to second Kira's point.

"Yeah, you guys. Come on," she urged. Conner shoved his shoulder against Ethan's chest as he turned and headed toward Carrie. _I really want to get them away from this area. Tommy would have a fit if he knew we were right above his lab...._ As they neared her, she realized they were, indeed, heading straight for a sink hole.

"Watch out!" she cried seconds too late as the three others fell downward. _Shoot, shoot, shoot! _She ran over to the hole and peered over. "Conner! Kira! Ethan! Can you hear me?" she fretted.

"We're fine, babe!" Conner called back up to her

"If by fine you mean super dusty and sore, then, yes, we're fine!" Kira shouted up. Carrie breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hang on guys! I'm gonna go find To--, I mean Dr. Oliver!" she yelled back to them. She climbed back on her feet and started sprinting back the way they had come. All of a sudden she stopped. _He called me 'babe'...._ she smiled and giggled as she started running again.


End file.
